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Date Posted: 08:15:06 01/05/11 Wed
Author: BC
Subject: CA - lightbulbs

"As of January 1, 2011 ...
California began phasing out the legal sale and purchase of 100-watt incandescent light bulbs.
... in 2012, as per the Energy Independence and Security Act, which phases out the use of traditional light bulbs between 40 watts and 150 watts over a two-year period.
The Golden State is starting a year early to comply with its own energy-reduction mandates."

I already buy the "CFL's" ...
when I can afford them that is?!
Maybe I should just learn how to make my own candles?! :)
- BC

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Replies:

[> Re: CA - lightbulbs -- stewart, 11:02:04 01/05/11 Wed

Well BC California needs to get back to setting a good example and I'm glad of this mandate. Of course there will always be those who cry Government control and the government has no right telling us what to do. However those folk need to live in pre pollution control LA or drink water from a superfund sites runoff. There has been much resistance recently form those wishing to scale back pollution controls and environmental regulation. Recent history is filled with profit driven disregard of communities health by Business. It's great to see how many in my area are going to solar and storing rainwater. Years ago what they are now doing would be called tree hugging or being a greeny. It's now however about saving resources and saving money. Some of the most conservative in my region have started adopting these methods primarily because it saves them MONEY. When it can be proved that these methods are not only good for the environment but save money people are quick to jump onboard. Yes even those who flinch at government involvement in their lives are lining up to take advantage of rebates and tax incentives offered for adopting these new technologies. It's almost humorous to hear them now talking about how much they turned their meter back from using the sun or how much rainwater they've collected in the recent storms.
Look lately at those complaining about the recent new food control measures. It took China et al poisoning us and our pets to make people understand food controls are necessary to stop those feeding us considering only their bottom line. I'm amazed when people travel in the third world with all of its uncontrolled pollution and return here that they could ever say that these sorts of measures aren't in the best interests of the populace.
Yes I've always been a greeny since I was a boy growing up with the dumps left behind by BHP in my home town of Broken Hill. The dust blowing of those dumps was often filled with lead tailings and it collected in our houses and on everything whenever the desert winds blew. Scientists actually came up with plants to grow on those dumps to control the runoff and dust problem. A greenbelt was formed around the town way before anything like this happened to keep the desert from consuming the town. It was called the Regeneration belt or the GEN as it was known to us children who would "Trespass" into in for adventures. It became like a huge natural playground at really no one cared that we were running around in it more that any livestock were not. I've seen what deforestation can do firsthand as all the available wood in our area was used up for fuel or early mining. The mulga trees only started to come back in the gen in my lifetime. In my area of Cali today you can easily tell those properties that overgraze their cattle. There is nothing on those hills save a few oaks that lived there prior and have watched for years the immediate consumption of anything that sprang from their acorns . It's a delicate balance that is easy to affect and sometimes those effects aren't seen for a lifetime. Oaks take many years to grow and many years to die. One of the former residents of my area decided to grade his property illegally and destroyed many ancient oaks. Eventually as a community we banded together to stop him. His arrogance was extreme and ,though forced to stop, the impact of his handiwork will not be repaired in three lifetimes let alone mitigated but the few small trees he was ordered to plant. I find sometimes there are those, who for whatever reason, justify owning a piece of ground as the mandate to do with it as they will disregarding common sense and plowing ahead literally, knowing its cheaper to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission. In fact some even factor court costs into their budget prior knowing they will come out in front if they just do it. It has nothing to do with stewardship of the land more about how much can I make and how quickly can I do it.It's myopic and completely self interested at best.
I'm sorry BC that the eco bulbs cost so much where you are. They are often on sale here and subsidized. Some are really expensive like LED spots but the small fluros are usually cheap. Hope you continue to try to replace them. Love on Ya Stewart


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[> Re: CA - lightbulbs -- Neeney, 11:49:38 01/05/11 Wed

Well said, and I agree with you totally. That's really awful about the resident of your area. People don't think or don't care about how their actions effect others.



Neeney


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[> [> Re: CA - lightbulbs -- JennOk, 14:52:10 01/07/11 Fri

One thing I think is interesting with the environment, etc. is that 20 years ago when I started teaching and had been in northern CA I used to do a whole unit on recycling, saving the environment, Earth Day, etc. and there were a lot of resources. Then it seemed that all kind of disappeared that people kind of forgot about keeping the Earth healthy. It seems sad to me that we "sat around" for the last decade or so and didn't make a lot of "significant" changes. So I"m glad people are more focused on the environment, but hope we see greater strides. It scares me when I watch so many documentaries about the trouble our Earth is in. Hopefully we can all make enough changes in time to stop some of the issues our Earth and our future is facing. We have florescents and bought them when we build this house. I wish we lived on an acreage where we had enough room for our own wind turbine, this fall I bought a couple of rain barrels to use this next summer. Anyway, it is definitely sad what happened around your hometown Stewart. I would be nice if people looked at the mistakes others have made and actually change because it is the right thing to do, not just to make our save money.


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[> Re: CA - lightbulbs -- HeatherM, 14:03:18 01/05/11 Wed

My parents have a solar panel to heat the water at their house. It has saved them quite a bit on the electric bill. I'd love to do the same, but considering I just bought my first place and I am on a one income budget, I have to wait until later. So for now, I am slowly changing the bulbs.

Bridget
Heather


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[> [> Re: CA - lightbulbs -- Melaney, 14:27:09 01/05/11 Wed

Been using the bulbs for over a year now. Yes, they are expensive, but they last forever (well, not really, but longer than the old ones - I think I've replaced 1) and they really do save money. Been looking into the solar panels myself as another way to save energy.

Stewart, good to see you back on the board! And I hope that the new year brings you peace and prosperity.
Melaney


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[> Re: CA - lightbulbs -- BC, 17:13:58 01/05/11 Wed

First thing that captured my attention was ...
"California needs to get back to setting a good example" ...

My '99 Toyota 4-Runner (best vehicle I have ever owned in my entire life - almost 12 years old / 175,000 miles - still runs perfectly) ...
And, it's a *** "CA" 4-Runner *** :)!
The only "major" expense I've incurred is the replacement of one catalytic converter - now it seems it's time for the second one as well?!
side note: The "check engine" light had been on for a few months prior to "TN" emission testing before renewing my tags - diagnostics said it needed a new converter. Didn't replace it at the time because of the $600 or so estimate I was given by a mechanic. One week prior to the renewal deadline the "check engine" light went out. So, I decided to run it through "TN" emissions just to see what would happen?! IT PASSED! :)

Found some interesting info today on a Toyota message board re: CA as a "trend-setter" of higher standards - just thought it was "kinda cool" ...

"Does anyone know the actual differences between the Federal and California versions of the computers in our cars? Specifically the Toyota 5S-FE?
According to one site, the basic difference is that a California emissions ECU will turn the check engine light sooner than a Federal version. This will cause a failing component to be identified quicker and therefore reduce emissions..."
"... My understanding is that California switched to OBD and then everybody followed suit....
So, there's probably not that much difference anymore. Most Toyotas imported to the US got the California emissions package or something similar to it. Back in the day, Toyota used a special "C" code to designate an engine to be exported to the US. That went defunt as of the early 90s.
***Nowadays, you will find that the maitenance schedules for "California" engines are more aggressive."

Re: making people understand food controls are necessary to stop those feeding us considering only their bottom line...
I agree 100% - my oldest son has a culinary degree, and one day he shared with me some of the process of "bringing in the beef" from the farm/stall to the table. I won't go into details - and, I'm not 100% percent vegetarian (although my two sons are)! I'd say I'm 'bout 98% there myself though! :) "eewww" is the "nicest" way I can summarize some of the "tales" of "tails" I've been told! :)

Re: the higher price of the "CFL's" as compared with that of the "traditional" bulbs - it's more of a "mindset over matter" than the actual higher cost of the CFL's themselves - 'cause they do last longer than the "traditional" bulbs, and they're definitely more cost effective to "burn"!

When I mentioned making candles, it was just my way of sayin' that I would love to be more "self-sufficient" ...
I have to admit I've been listenin' to "talk" radio again in the mornings. It seems that it's always a "picture" of "gloom and doom" they "paint" for our future.
One way or another - not out of fear - but, as a matter of practicality I would like to begin doing a few more things to become "self-reliant" in regards to basic things like water supply / the collection of rainwater. Living in the "city" though I'm not sure just how practical some of my goals may be?!

The home where we currently reside is rental property, so unless the landlord decides to install solar - I guess will continue in our current status in regards to heating and cooling. But, in the summer - even on the hottest of days - it is rare that we run our air conditioner on a continual basis due to the abundance of shade trees in our yard.
When LauraG and I visited your part of CA this past summer the rolling landscape between the coastline and Paso reminded me of eastern TN (even the "smokey" effect which lingered in the mornings :)! Primary difference I noticed were the trees - or, the lack thereof!
I still found the landscape beautiful though. At the time, however, I wasn't aware of how that might have come to be - very sad the situation you described regarding the loss of all the oak trees.
"Oaks take many years to grow and many years to die" ...
*kinda reminds me of episode in "Christy" when "Opal" had all the nightmares regarding "Mr. Stone" and the clearing of the trees from the land for his lumber business.

But, I truly appreciate and enjoy when you share glimpses of your life in Australia - I can just imagine you guys running through the "wilds" of the "GEN" which you described! :)
And, I've never heard of a Mulga tree before.
So, as usual, my curiosity got the better of me ...
here's a photo I found ...
http://images.travelpod.com/users/jokertrekker/9.1264522019.roadside-mulga-tree-mingary.jpg

Thanks again for taking the time to stop in and visit with all of us here Stewart! :)
- BC


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[> Re: CA - lightbulbs -- Valerie, 18:23:09 01/05/11 Wed

I heard about this mandate a while ago. My parents have been using those bulbs for quite a few years now and while they're initially expensive, they generally last a long time. They have some that have been working steadily for two or more years!
I've become more of a greeny after moving to where I currently live. I live in an area that is environmentally unappealing to me. It's flat and full of strip malls, no one recycles and if they do, it's very limited, the public transportation system is terrible and ineffective at best, and there aren't many sidewalks here. Oh, and have I mentioned that it's a huge college town? With six large colleges, you would think the city would strive towards at least a more pedestrian and environmentally-friendly community.
Stewart, your story was very interesting and sad. Our land is such an invaluable resource and when you mess it up, it's hard and time-consuming to fix. I've never heard of growing plants to help stave off the effects of pollution, but I think that's a terrific idea!
Anyway, like Melaney said, while those bulbs are expensive (check the dollar stores near you, BC, or maybe even look for them in bulk), they really do save you money on your utilities bill and they last a really long time. I think it's a worthy investment.


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[> NY - Candles -- kell, 15:16:37 01/07/11 Fri

Hey BC,
I live in Amish country so I'm sure I can find someone to show you how to make candles. ;)


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[> [> Re: NY - Candles -- BC, 15:18:06 01/07/11 Fri

Cool! :)
- BC :)


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